May is Lyme Disease Prevention Month in Maine

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in Maine and the second most commonly reported reportable infectious disease in Maine. Ticks are already active, and we expect the number of Lyme disease cases to increase as the weather continues to get warmer.

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month in Maine. The Maine CDC has released a bulletin to increase awaremenss of the disease.

The purpose of this advisory is to:

Provide general information regarding ticks and Lyme disease

Remind providers to report cases of Lyme disease, including those diagnosed by erythema migrans

Provide resources on diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease

Although the bulletin is focused on Lyme in humans, it is relevant to our four legged friends as well. Furthermore, people living with pets potentially have a higher risk of contracting Lyme Disease. The veterinarians at PenBay Vets feels it is important to protect your pets and family from tick borne diseases.

A full version of this advisory can be downloaded from the Maine CDC website as a Microsoft Word document (.doc) or Adobe PDF (.pdf) by clicking the hyperlink at the bottom of this message and looking under "Recent Health Advisories" in the "What's New" section of the page that loads. Please contact the MaineHAN Helpdesk at HAN@maine.gov if you have trouble accessing this document.